Owlbear Husbandry
Overview: Owlbears are one of the most fearsome predators found in Dayarrde. Ranging from the steppe of the Kovost Highlands to the Ebenkalt tundra, Owlbears are a known hazard for any adventurer. True domestication of the owlbear has proven impossible. Despite dedicated breeding programs a docile or easily trainable bloodline has never emerged. None the less owlbears have been bred in captivity for centuries and individual owlbears have been known to be loyal and share a singular bond with their master. Lifecycle: Owlbear cublets hatch in the early spring, 53 days after being layed. The mother and father share the incubation duties. A typical brood will have three eggs. Once hatched the owlbear will grow quickly from an initial weight of 20-25 lbs to 150-200 lb by the end of fall. At this point the owlbear is large enough to hunt small prey on its own and is the match for wolves and great cats. Owlbears will have reached their full size (1,500 to 2,000 lb) by three years and will begin mating between the age of four and five. The typical owlbear will produce a brood every two years, this interval can lengthen to three or four years if food is scarce. On average owlbears live around 25 years and produce four broods. Owlbears in captivity, provided with sufficient food, can produce twice as many broods in their lifetime. Typical owlbears need 7-10 lb of meat per day, but due to their predatory nature can consume up to 20% (300 to 400lb) of their body weight in a single day. Domestication & Training: Owlbear training takes many forms. At its most rudimentary the owlbear is placed in a location and its natural hunting nature ensure that no intruders can enter said location. However, at this level of “training” the owlbear is unable to distinguish between intruders and occupants. Some wizards have been known to keep owlbears near the base of their towers because they can bypass the owlbear with magical means. The most common level of training is as a guard or hunting beast. These owlbears are trained to recognize their masters and to only attack on command. This training usually sticks, trainers and masters are only mauled occasionally and very rarely killed outright. It helps if the owlbear is kept well fed when it is around others. The most advanced and difficult form of training is training an owlbear as a mount. Due to the owlbears immense strength it can easily carry a rider equipped in platemail while wearing plate barding itself. Combining the owlbears strength, weight, and ability to panic horses owlbear mounted cavalry are highly effective combatants in both large and small scale fights. Training an owlbear for riding requires raising it from an egg. The initial imprint that the owlbear makes on its master strengthens the bond and allows for the introduction of the saddle. Owlbears are usually first taught to hunt and guard with their master, then around the age of two they are introduced to the saddle. Light barding can be introduced shortly after that, but full plate barding is reserved for after they have reached maturity. This is said to be done out of concern for the still maturing owlbear, but the financial impact of a juvenile owlbear outgrowing their barding can’t be understated. Category:Lore